That meant a first start in the middle of the park for 17-year-old Cammy Smith.

And it was the Dons who had the first attempt at goal after eight minutes of play.

Josh Magennis’s clever throw picked out Smith, who helped the ball on to McGinn.

The striker’s curling shot was a yard wide of Ben Williams’ left-hand upright.

Isaac Osbourne then headed over from a McGinn cross three minutes later.

Hibs had created little up to this stage, with only Griffiths looking threatening.

Paul Cairney sent a shot wide in the 28th minute as Fenlon’s side tried to get something going.

And then Irishman Eoin Doyle saw a shot brilliantly tipped round the post a minute later by Langfield as the hosts finally sparked into life.

At the opposite end, Ryan McGivern did well to block a McGinn shot after he had made his way into the Hibs box.

But Langfield was called into action again in the 40th minute when Griffiths found space on the edge of the box.

There initially seemed little on, so the striker decided to try his luck from the corner of the area — and the Dons keeper had to throw himself full length across his goal to beat his shot away.

Griffiths saw another shot saved by Langfield a minute later after he got the break of the ball 20 yards out.

But as half-time came and went there was nothing between the sides.

Dons boss Brown chose to replace Smith with Kiwi international Rory Fallon at the interval.

But it was Hibs who started the second half the brighter side. Griffiths saw an overhead kick beaten away by Langfield in the 47th minute after the keeper had failed to deal with a Lewis Stevenson cross.

And Northern Ireland defender McGivern then headed over from a Paul Cairney free-kick.

Aberdeen responded with a Hayes free-kick that curled a foot wide.

But Hibs were looking the sharper now and Griffiths went close again in the 56th minute with another shot Langfield repelled.

At times it seemed like the striker was taking on the men in red all by himself.

And he fired in another effort a minute later after beating Jonny Hayes, Josh Magennis and Mark Reynolds on the edge of the Dons box. But just when it appeared they were on top, Hibs survived a huge scare on the hour mark.

Andrew Considine’s ball into the box had too much pace for McGivern to deal with.

And sub Fallon threw himself at the ball, heading just over from six yards out.

Osbourne hobbled off to be replaced by Jamie Masson soon after. And both Fenlon and Archie Knox were spoken to by referee Bobby Madden after exchanging words on the touchline.

By this stage it was clear that it would require either a mistake or an inspired moment to decide the match.

And there was an element of both as Aberdeen moved ahead in the 77th minute.

Hayes’ ball from the left should have been dealt with by the home defence. It was missed by three men in green and white, including Maybury who swung a boot at it but failed to make contact.

And McGinn was alert to the situation, killing the ball with his first touch — and then prodding it past Williams from six yards out with his next one.

Hibs tried to respond by laying siege to the Dons goal. But Tom Taiwo’s long-range effort past Langfield’s left post was as close as they got.

And not even Griffiths was able to rescue them on this occasion as Brown’s men held on.